Camera

Utilizing a camera to present your face to your viewers can make a big difference in establishing a relationship with your viewers. Because of the impact it can have, it’s worth taking the time to put your best foot forward, or is it face? Webcams have come a long way in quality over the years, and in most cases if you have one built into your computer it will work just fine. The trick is presenting your face in an ideal way for your content. For example, if you want your stream to be about a game, there’s little reason to have your face take up half the screen. A good rule of thumb is for your camera to use no more than a fifth of your screen. So, for a typical stream of 720p that means your camera dimensions would be 256x144 pixels. Most streaming applications have an ability to adjust the size as well as crop your camera so get familiar with those settings. While not necessary, you may also want to consider framing your camera as well to separate you from your gameplay. Lighting also plays a factor in how you are presented on-camera. If the room is too dark, your face will be less recognizable. If too bright, you will be washed out and will distract your viewers. Find a balance. Make an effort know what looks good and sounds good on your streams. Do a dry run by recording yourself and studying the playback.